Demand has slipped for three weeks to the lowest seasonal level since 2000 after jumping 7.2 percent in the seven days ended Nov. 9 as wholesalers restocked following disruptions caused by Hurricane Sandy.

“The pipeline to the East Coast had been full in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and as we moved past Thanksgiving demand has declined,” Lipow said.

Refiners used 90.6 percent of capacity, up 2 percentage points to the highest level since the week ended Aug. 24.

The largest increase in gasoline stockpiles was on the Gulf Coast, or PADD 3 region, where inventories rose 2.47 million barrels to 77.3 million, the highest level since September 2011. PADD 3 refiners used 95.2 percent of capacity.

Distillate supplies, which include heating oil and diesel, climbed 3.03 million barrels to 115.1 million in the seven days ended Nov. 30, department data show. Analysts estimated a 850,000-barrel increase, according to the survey.

January-delivery heating oil fell 1.33 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $2.9907 a gallon, the first time the front-month contract has settled below $3 since Nov. 15.